ETHICS FOR IT
PROFESSIONAL AND IT USERS
By. Brian
This blog discussed about
how should IT professional act according to rules of values and ethics in
Information technology.
Professional ethics has become more important
over the years. As we become more specialized
in our occupation, the issues become that much more complex – and hard. Professional bodies have increasingly been at
work developing, revising and refining professional codes of ethics. Professionals themselves ask for more
detailed codes so as to have greater guidance.
There is no longer deference to the authority of experts on the part of
the public or of the client group. The
standards for professional conduct keep drifting higher. Where safety and health are at issue, the
regulators are under more pressure to act when professional groups do not
act. Frankly, it is a sign of maturity,
and of professional pride, when a professional group is operating under a code
of ethics. Professional
ethics helps a professional choose what to do when faced with a problem at work
that raises a moral issue. One can
certainly study what professionals do when faced with such problems, and
confine the enquiry to the description.
Our concern here, however, is to assist with making choices – an
approach called prescriptive professional ethics.
Information technology is now everywhere in the lives of
people across the globe. These technologies take many forms such as personal
computers, smart phones, the internet, web and mobile phone applications,
digital assistants, and cloud computing. In fact the list is growing constantly
and new forms of these technologies are working their way into every aspect of
daily life. According to APBITMS, technology enriches material life and
improves living conditions, but its swift development and strong power may lead
to ethical controversies such as cloning, genetic modification, replication
technology, information misuse, computer crime, and nuclear weapons. These issues are inevitable because they challenge
traditional ethics and human moral values.
Rapid
technology development has brought pollution and consumption of the natural
environment; therefore, technologies often give rise to previously unknown
ethical dilemmas. Under these
circumstances, the traditional ethical role becomes more difficult because
technology also transforms human beings.
As
we study ethics in our class, I had learned that ethics is a set of beliefs
about right and wrong behavior, and ethical behavior conform generally accepted
social forms, virtues and vices. How does technology embodies values? According
to http://www.utwente.nl, the existing literature on embedded
values in computer technology is still young, and has perhaps focused more on
case studies and applications for design than on theoretical underpinnings. The
idea that technology embodies values has been inspired by work in the
interdisciplinary field of science and technology studies, which investigates
the development of science and technology and their interaction with society.
Authors in this field agree that technology is not neutral but shaped by
society. Some have argued, specifically, that technological artifacts issue
constraints on the world surrounding them and that they can harbor political
consequences. Authors in the embedded value approach have taken these ideas and
applied them to ethics, arguing that technological artifacts are not morally
neutral but value-laden. However, what it means for an artifact to have an
embedded value remains somewhat vague. Morality
is social conventions about right and wrong and widely shared. And morality may
vary by age, cultural group, ethnic background, religion, and also gender.
According to, http://www.qcc.cuny.edu,
technical creations and technology is morally neutral. They reflect a value
that humans place on change and innovation and solutions to problems that favor
economy and efficiency on several levels. Creation itself is a value that
generally advances civilization. But creation is not sufficient for that
advance. Other values must also be operative. In this century humans have need
of being mindful that the creations of humans are not overwhelming the purposes
for which they were created and the values upon which support for created has
rested. The human community has need of its members reflecting on and
deliberating about and considering technological creations before, during and
after using them. The question now is why moral rules is needed? We need it
because without such rules people would
not be able to live amongst humans. People could not make plans, could
not leave their belongings behind them wherever they went. We would not know
who to trust and what to expect from others. Civilized, social life would not
be possible.
The
importance of integrity is a cornerstone of ethical behavior. People have
integrity is act in accordance with a personal code of principles, extend to
all people the same respect and consideration that you desire, and also apply
the same moral standards in all situations. For example in a business they have follow set of principles
or values that they should follow, first, Operating with honesty and integrity,
staying true to corporate principles, Operating according to standards of ethical
conduct, in words and action, Treating colleagues, customers, and consumers
with respect, Striving to the best at what matters most of the company,
Accepting personal responsibility for actions, valuing diversity and making
decisions based on facts and principles. The board of Directors who are
responsible for supervising the management team; Directors of the company are
expected to conduct themselves according to the
highest standards of personal and professional integrity, set standard for
company-wide ethical conduct, ensure compliance with laws and regulations. The
Corporate also must established a corporate code of ethics that highlights an
organization’s key ethical issues, identifies overarching over arching values
and principles important to an organization, Focuses employees on areas of
ethical risk. The company should conduct social audit to Identifies ethical
lapses committed in the past and Sets directives for avoiding similar missteps
in the future.
The company should require their employees to take ethics training, comprehensive
ethics education program encourages employees to act responsibly and ethically.
Ethics in Business World is raised to business agenda because
risks associated with increased inappropriate behavior. Risk is the product of
multiplying likelihood of an event by the impact of its occurrence. Risks is
associated with inappropriate or unethical behavior have increased due to
globalization that diverse cultures and societies. Why Fostering Good Business Ethics is important? First, is to gain the goodwill of the community. Second,
is to create an organization that operates consistently. Third, is to produce
good business. Lastly, is to protect the organization and its employees from
legal action. In gaining the goodwill of
the community their basic responsibilities to society is to declared in formal
statement of company’s principles or beliefs including in making contributions
to charitable organizations and nonprofit institutions, providing benefits for
employees in success of legal requirements, and choosing economic opportunities
that might be more socially desirable than profitable. Goodwill are socially
responsible activities create can make it easier for corporations to conduct
business. Many business are creating organization that operates consistently
include operating with honesty and integrity staying true to corporate
principles, operating according to standards of ethical conduct in words and
action, making decisions based on facts and principles, valuing diversity,
accepting personal responsibility for actions, striving to be the best at what
matters most to the company, and also treating colleagues, customers, and
consumers with respect. The Good Ethics can mean good business, they produce
safe and effective products and they avoid costly recalls and lawsuits, provide
excellent service and they maintain customers, and also develop and maintain
strong employee relations. Example of good ethics is the suppliers and other
business partners prefer companies that operate in a fair and ethical manner.
The bad ethics can lead to bad business results. In improving corporate ethics
is to risk of unethical behavior is increasing, and improvement of business
ethics is becoming more important. When appointing a corporate ethics, the
corporate ethics is defined as ethical conduct, legal compliance, and have corporate
social responsibility. And corporate ethics officer is well respected and a
senior-level manager, provides vision and direction in the area of business
conduct, and tries to establish an environment that encourages ethical decision
making. The responsibilities in appointing a corporate ethics officer is
complete oversight of the ethics function, collecting and analyzing data,
developing and interpreting ethics policy, developing and administering ethics
education and training, and overseeing ethics investigations. In establishing a
corporate code of ethics, the code of ethics must have a statement that
highlights an organization’s key ethical issues, identifies overarching values
and principles important to an organization, focuses employees on areas of
ethical risk, and cannot gain community company-wide acceptable unless they
developed with employee participation, and fully endorsed by organizations
leadership.
Ethical
dilemmas will continue to arise on businesses and other type of companies as the use of information technology
increases. Communities will continue to need and seek policy to help guide
their processes. A policy is but the starting point for the hard explorations
of values and ethical issues that exist as communities mature in their new and
increased access to information and in their use of information technology.
This is all the content of my blog thank you for reading.